Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Mechelen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Mechelen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,146 per month in Lyon vs $2,059 in Mechelen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,284 per month in Lyon vs $3,107 in Mechelen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,422 per month in Lyon vs $4,155 in Mechelen, rent included.

Lyon costs about 4% more than Mechelen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Mechelen sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Mechelen by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.49 €15.14

$22.76 €19.71

-23.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.7

$114 €98.6

-33.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 €11.04

$12.76 €11.05

-0.08%

Cappuccino

$3.93 €3.40

$4.21 €3.65

-6.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.47

$3.49 €3.02

-18.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.58

$3.18 €2.75

-42.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 €7.17

$5.49 €4.75

50.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 €5.83

$4.65 €4.03

44.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.26 €1.09

18.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.21

$2.78 €2.40

-8.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.27

$2.27 €1.97

15.42%

Eggs

$4.30 €3.73

$4.05 €3.51

6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.51 €21.22

$17.23 €14.92

42.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 €14.02

$11.89 €10.30

36.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.97 €22.49

$18.87 €16.34

37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.33

$3.04 €2.63

-11.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.37 €2.06

5.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.03

$2.26 €1.95

54.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 €3.49

$3.00 €2.60

34.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 €2.48

$1.90 €1.64

51.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 €2.39

$2.11 €1.83

30.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.37 €1.19

8.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.83 €0.72

1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 €12.25

$12.94 €11.21

9.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.15

$8.91 €7.71

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.78

$1.85 €1.60

73.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.67

$2.33 €2.02

32.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.05

$3.10 €2.69

-23.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 €72.1

$56.4 €48.80

47.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.91

$5.65 €4.89

0.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.55 €2.21

-25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.7 €49.92

$46.04 €39.87

25.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.86 €1.61

6.99%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.1K €33.0K

$34.0K €29.5K

12.04%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.5K €31.6K

$33.6K €29.1K

8.71%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$279 €241

$203 €176

36.95%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.04 €19.09

$25.65 €22.22

-14.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.96 €32.01

$50.6 €43.85

-27.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.38 €38.43

$31.10 €26.93

42.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.27 €20.15

$13.82 €11.97

68.38%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.16

$15.21 €13.17

-7.69%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$737 €639

$572 €495

28.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.5K

$13.5K €11.7K

-10.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €96.3

$111 €95.9

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.76

$51.6 €44.65

-1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €105

$107 €92.7

12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 €145

$161 €140

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 €851

$892 €773

10.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 €601

$765 €662

-9.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 €1,660

$1,373 €1,189

39.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 €1,074

$1,079 €934

14.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,540 €5,664

$4,157 €3,600

57.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,008 €3,471

$3,045 €2,637

31.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,226 €2,794

$2,218 €1,921

45.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.27

14.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lyon: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mechelen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $983 in Lyon versus $892 in Mechelen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Lyon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Lyon versus $114 in Mechelen. Groceries tell a different story – $432 in Lyon vs $344 in Mechelen – so Mechelen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lyon vs Mechelen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 4% more than Mechelen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,219 per month in Lyon and $3,089 in Mechelen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mechelen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,146 in Lyon and $2,059 in Mechelen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Mechelen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mechelen, where all-in costs run around $2,059, than in Lyon at $2,146. In Mechelen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mechelen costs $2,059 versus $2,146 in Lyon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mechelen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lyon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.